Cheap Kitchens

A recent court case and numerous prison sentences have highlighted the danger of buying bargain or cheap kitchens from the internet. Kitchens by Nailsea Electrical, based on the Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 explains all.

Kitchens by Nailsea Electrical do not sell “cheap” kitchens. We do sell affordable and ‘great value for money’ kitchens and we can design, supply and install kitchens for all budgets. We have a large showroom at 102 Gloucester Road, Bristol and a local team of kitchen design experts. Buying a kitchen from Nailsea Electrical gives you peace of mind that you will get the perfect kitchen for your home – at the right price.

Cheap Kitchens Online

Everywhere you look on the internet there are kitchen companies selling cheap kitchens, some of them seem too good to be true and as a recent court case demonstrates – they usually are.

A group of six people have been jailed for selling ‘rubbish’ kitchens on behalf of fugitive businessman Vance Miller. As his colleagues were jailed, Mr Miller fled the country and he remains a free man in the Far East.

Customers were lured by massive online and print advertising campaign forked out thousands of pounds believing they would be getting a kitchen ‘good enough for Wayne and Coleen Rooney’. But instead they got unusable kitchen units, in mismatched shades, The Mirror reports.

When customers tried to complain, they were abused and called ‘liars’ by Miller’s staff.

A variety of business names were used to conceal the fact that it was Miller’s business, based at Maple Mill, Oldham, that was selling the cheaply-made Chinese kitchens. Business names, so far uncovered, are numerous names including Kitchen Units, Kitchen Uber, Interior Home Designs of Rossendale, Manchester Kitchen Company, Lancashire Interior Home Designs and Stilhaus Kitchens. The main business operated under the name Maple Industries.

Among the lies told by this gang were that the kitchens were last year’s stock from B&Q. Customers had to pay in cash or by banker’s transfer without a proper chance to first check the goods.

Warehouseman Roland Berkley, of Yeovil, Somerset, was furious to find that his “Shaker beech” units were just white hardboard when they arrived. When he called the factory he was told: “You got what you ordered” and the phone was slammed down. Roland, 59, who paid £1,550, said: “I have been ripped off.”

Richard and Samantha Grayson rang Miller’s firm Kitchens to complain that parts for their £1,500 kitchen were missing or the wrong size. Staff told them: “Because you contacted us you have lost all of your consumer rights.” This is complete nonsense.

Calls to “customer service” lines went unanswered or were put onto continuous hold, cut off or rudely rebuffed.

Customers who sued found that County Court judgments were often ignored or impossible to enforce because the business hid behind accommodation addresses.

Trading standards officers have been bombarded with complaints about Miller’s dodgy dealings.

Lord Toby Harris, Chair, National Trading Standards said: “These criminals took deliberate steps to mislead and deceive consumers over a number of years, leaving them out of pocket by some £2.6 million. I would like to thank all of those involved for their diligent efforts in bringing these criminals to justice.”

Councillor Nigel Ayre, Executive Member with responsibility for Trading Standards at City of York Council, said: “This investigation and the first prosecution by our nationally-recognised team of experts, shows that kitchen scams will be identified and the perpetrators sentenced.”

David Hourigan, 41, of Bacup, described as Vance Miller’s ‘right-hand man’, has been jailed for 18 months.

Martin Sersen, 24, of Rochdale, who acted as an official front for Miller, has been jailed for 15 months.

The former girlfriend of Miller, Nicola Brodie, 39, of Rochdale, was responsible for placing adverts and has been jailed for a year.

Kitchen salesman Richard Brundrett, 41, of Bacup, has been jailed for nine months.

Miller’s PA, Karen Stocks, 43, has been jailed for nine months, and Miller’s online marketing man, Matthew Leak, 23, who flooded the web with fake reviews, has been jailed for four months.

All of them worked under Miller’s direction between 2010 and 2015, while he was abroad. Each appeared stunned to be locked up.

The judge said that he had heard ‘weeks and weeks’ of evidence about the quality of the kitchens sold by Maple Mill, adding, ‘they were effectively rubbish’.

He told the defendants in the dock: “Many were looking forward to receiving their immaculate, dream kitchens – the reality was far removed from that”, he went on.

“This was criminal conduct, kitchens were manufactured to a low standard by Miller in China and aimed at the low end of the market.”

Value For Money Kitchens

The kitchen in most homes is the centre point for the household. Nearly all social occasions are centred around the kitchen. If you ever sell your house the kitchen is the main feature that potential buyers consider. A beautiful kitchen, designed for the way you and your family will use it, and for the available space, can transform family living and add value to your property.

Buying a kitchen from an established, specialist kitchen company in Bristol, such as Kitchens by Nailsea Electrical. ensures you of peace of mind. We have a showroom on the Gloucester Road, we have local kitchen designers on staff and we have are own team of kitchen fitters.

The company was first established by Peter Gilks in a retail shop in Nailsea just outside Bristol in 1982. A few years later, Peter opened a second shop in Bristol on the Gloucester Road and in 1988 was crowned HTV’s Young Businessman of the Year.

Nailsea Electrical is still family-owned but now run by the son, Ben who won Young Entrepreneur of the year in 2013. In a prestigious 9,000 square foot showroom with a warehouse on site on the Gloucester Road. The 23 members of staff at Nailsea Electrical all work together to keep the business improving year on year.

Nailsea Electrical Awards

Family Business of the Year 2011 – The Evening Post Awards 2011

Domestic Appliance Showroom of the Year Finalist – The ERT Awards 2011

Best Large Independent Retailer of Domestic Appliances 2012 – The independent Business Awards 2012

Innovation of the Year 2012 – The Post Awards 2012

Customer Service Award 2012 – The Post Awards 2012

Finalist of Family Business of the Year 2013 – The Post Business Awards 2013